Parking charges will begin at Stone railway station in early November 2026, the rail operator has confirmed. The announcement follows months of questions from residents and local groups about plans to introduce fees on Station Approach.
The proposed tariff is £5.90 per day at peak times and £4 off peak, applying Monday to Saturday. Parking will remain free on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Who pays and who doesn't
Drivers dropping off or collecting passengers will have 20 minutes free parking. Two free Blue Badge parking spaces are proposed close to the station entrance.
Longer permit options are expected to be available. A permit system will also cover four spaces for the community centre by mutual agreement.
The source material does not state what time the £4 off peak rate begins, or whether shorter stay tariffs will be available for people who do not need to park for a full day.
How the system will work
Parking will operate on a pay and display basis rather than using automatic number plate recognition. Users will be able to pay either by card or online. SABA will manage the scheme.
Background to the charges
The rail operator says the existing free and unrestricted arrangements have reduced the number of spaces available to rail passengers because Station Approach is also used by people who are not travelling by train.
A number of local groups and individuals have raised concerns about the effect charges could have beyond rail passengers, including impact on community facilities around Station Approach and the possibility of more vehicles parking on surrounding streets. More than 90 per cent of the issues raised with the operator have related to the knock-on impact on local groups and residents rather than rail use itself.
The operator says it understands those concerns but that its primary responsibility is to provide parking capacity for railway users. It also argues that introducing charges is part of a wider move away from free station parking across the rail network, with rail operators expected to maximise revenue.
Station Approach is owned by Network Rail. The operator has been working with Network Rail to incorporate the parking area into an extended station lease, allowing charges to be introduced and enforced while placing obligations on the train operator for matters including CCTV and agreed maintenance work.